Exposure to lead from mining probably lowered I.Q. levels in the empire, research has found. It might be the world’s first case of widespread industrial pollution. By Katherine Kornei Roughly ...

But hidden in this industrious age of antiquity was a poison that quietly shaped the fate of Rome ... evidence of lead’s toll by analyzing Greenland ice cores—ancient time capsules of Earth ...

A Growing Understanding of the Harms of Lead Pollution Ancient lead pollution stemmed largely from silver mining, whereby the lead-rich mineral galena was melted down to extract silver.

In ancient Rome, lead was widely used in glazed table wares, paints, cosmetics, and was intentionally ingested as well as ...

Arctic ice cores uncover how Roman lead pollution led to widespread IQ declines over 2,000 years ago, revealing impacts on ...

Ancient Rome achieved urban milestones centuries ahead of its time, with innovations like shopping malls, public welfare, and ...

All roads really do lead to Rome. So many cultures, countries and customs stem from the influential history of this city. And ...

Archaeologists working at the Domus Aurea, Emperor Nero’s grand palace in ancient Rome, have uncovered a rare and remarkable ...

The colorful material weighed over 5 pounds and was likely made to decorate an emperor’s palace, Italian officials said.

The researchers first took measurements of lead deposited in three Arctic ice cores every year between 500 BCE and 600 CE using techniques they have reported before. They found that lead emissions ...

Lead pollution in ancient Rome may have dropped the average IQ by up to three points, a new study has found. In the paper, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ...